The township applied for funding from Michigan’s Stormwater, Asset Management and Wastewater program in 2013 and received $310,000 to develope an asset management plan and to draft a list infrastructure improvement priorities.

Simons said part of that process includes video inspection of sewer lines.

A consultant on July 26 said the township needed between $500,000 and $600,000 in infrastructure improvements. Officials said the township’s sewer fund has been operating at a deficit for several years. Future improvements — such as refurbishing each of Cottrellville’s five sewage lift stations — would be funded by the debt service charge and low-interest loans.

The approved future sewer rate increases are $6.25 to $7.25 on Oct. 1, 2018, and $7.25 to $7.40 in 2019.

Simons said she hopes to return to water rate discussions later this year.

Sewer rates weren’t the only thing to be changed this month.

A proposed administrative fee on the township’s property taxes was approved by board members last week. The 1 percent fee would cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $21 a year and the supervisor said previously it would help fund improvements at the assessor's office.

Two other new taxes have been tabled, Simons said.

The township board had considered levying a tax of about 0.9 mills to cover its share of services from the Marine City Area Fire Authority.

It also talked about a 0.4804 mill road tax.

Simons said officials are “going to drop that for a while,” adding, “The board doesn’t seem to think that we need it.”

The township board meets regularly the second Wednesday of each month.

Contact Jackie Smith at (810) 989-6270 or jssmith@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @Jackie20Smith.